The United Kingdom has set up a secret program to relocate thousands of Afghan individuals following a data breach that exposed personal details of over 33,000 people, increasing their risk from the Taliban. Currently, around 4,500 affected individuals are in Britain or en route under the Afghan Response Route initiative, with costs reaching approximately 400 million pounds. Court documents suggest that around 20,000 more may need relocation, which could incur a further expense of several billion pounds. The Ministry of Defence also faces lawsuits due to the data breach.
Defence Minister John Healey stated that around 4,500 people are currently in Britain or in transit as part of a secret resettlement program. This program was initiated after a breach revealed personal details of over 33,000 Afghan individuals, increasing their risk from the Taliban.
Following the accidental data breach that exposed the identities of Afghans assisting British forces, about 20,000 individuals may be offered relocation to the UK, with an estimated cost of several billion pounds.
The Ministry of Defence's review confirmed over 16,000 individuals affected by the breach had been relocated to the UK as of May 2024, and legal actions have been initiated against the government.
The data breach, which disclosed names of Afghans applying for relocation, was attributed to an error occurring in early 2022 and only acknowledged by the Ministry of Defence over a year later.
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